Deep well pump with plastic liner for line shaft



Feb. 20, 1968 E. F. SULLIVAN LEE? WELL PUMP WITH PLASTIC LINER FOR LINE SHAFT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 8, 1966 FIG. I

INVENTOR. EUGENE F. SULLIVAN 4 \I I g 1 ATfbRNEYs Feb. 20, 1968 E. F. SULLlVAN 3,369,493

LEEP WELL PUMP WITH PLASTIC LINER FOR LINE SHAFT Filed Aug. 6, 1966 2 Sheets$heet 2 l i 20 1 I E 1 1 20 F I I i Q 1 i i 1 I v K/ E9 1 i m I 1 26 2| zl fi I Q" i: Q 22 l 22b-222b 4Q INVENTOR.

--EUGENE F. SULLIVAN F865 BY H62 ATTORNEYS Unite 3,369,493 Patented Feb. 20, 1968 fine 3,369,493 DEEP WELL PUMP WITH PLASTIC LINER FUR LINE SHAFT Eugene F. Sullivan, San Jose, Calif., assignor to Western Pump Company, San Jose, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Aug. 8, 1966, Ser. No. 571,053 4 Claims. (Cl. 103-102) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A deep well pump provided with a line shaft in at least two sections. Each section of the shaft is enclosed for virtually its entire length in a relatively thin wearresistant plastic member that is spaced therefrom to permit free rotation of the shaft and to dampen vibration thereof.

This invention relates to deep well pumps having rela* tively long line shafts.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved deep well pump having a relatively long line shaft made up of two or more sections joined by a threaded coupling which are enclosed in a tubular member that is provided with a lining of plastic for dampening shaft vibration and whipping.

Another object of this invention is to provide a deep well turbine pump with a line shaft housing having a liner of vinyl or other plastic between the housing and the shaft capable of resisting the whip contact with the shaft to reduce vibration in the shaft.

Another object of this invention is to provide a deep well turbine with a line shaft positioned in a tubular housing having a plastic liner, said liner being slotted so that it may be compressed before it is inserted into the housing in which it is allowed to expand against the inside wall, thereby forming a liner for dampening vibration of the shaft.

Other and further objects of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates from the following specification, claims and drawing in which, briefly:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of a deep well turbine pump embodying this invention;

FIG. 2 is a detail sectional view showing a shaft coupling and enlarged portion of the shaft housing to accommodate this coupling; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a modified form of coupling housing welded to one end of the shaft housing.

Referring to the drawing in detail, reference numeral designates the drive motor for the deep well turbine pump, part of which is shown positioned on the top of the fluid discharge head 11 which is provided with a flange 12 for attaching the discharge head and drive motor to the well platform of cement or other material of conventional construction (not shown). The well casing 13 extends up through the aforesaid well platform and terminates under the flange 12. Casing 13 forms a lining for the well and the bottom part thereof (not shown) is perforated to allow liquid to enter the casing. An outer column pipe 14- is provided in the well casing 13 and is spaced therefrom. The upper part of column pipe 14 is threaded into the flange 12 so that the top of this column pipe is open into the discharge head 11.

A suitable coupling 14a is provided between sections of the column pipe 14 and additional pipe sections required in deeper wells may be connected by similar couplings. The lower end of the pipe 14 is connected by the coupling 14b to the top manifold 15 of the turbine pump. The pump includes two impeller stages 16 and 17 which are of conventional construction and more stages may be provided as desired or required in deeper wells. The bottoms stage 17 is connected to the bottom manifold 18. The bottom of manifold 18 is provided with a threaded portion 18a to which the suction pipe 19 is attached. A suitable strainer (not shown) may be provided to the bottom of the suction pipe 19.

A tubular housing 21 is provided for the line shaft 20. The upper end of the line shaft 20 is connected to the shaft of the motor 10 and the impellers 16a and 17a of the turbine stages 16 and 17, respectively, are attached to the lower parts of this impeller shaft 20a. The lowermost part of the line shaft 20 is positioned in the bushing 18a of the bottom manifold 18. The upper end of the line shaft housing 21 is connected to a wall in the upper part of the discharge head 11 through which the shaft 20 passes to connect to the motor shaft. Sections of the line shaft 20 are coupled by the threaded couplings such as coupling 24 which is shown in detail in FIG. 2. An en larged coupling 23 is provided between sections of the line shaft housing 21 to accommodate the line shaft coupling 24. The shaft housing 21 is provided with threaded members 21a which are welded thereto and these thread ed members 21a are adapted to be threaded into the end parts of the housing coupling 23. Line shaft 20 is generally provided in lengths of approximately 10 or 20 feet and the housing 21 is provided in slightly shorter lengths so that the shaft couplings 24 extend out of the housing 21 into the enlarged coupling 23. Thus, as shaft lengths are coupled and lowered into the well, the shaft housing sections may likewise also be coupled and lowered into the well simultaneously. Suitable couplings 14a are provided at corresponding lengths of pipe 14.

A vinyl plastic liner 22 is provided in the housing 21. This liner is spaced a short distance from the shaft and also has a thickness such that it withstands rubbing contact with the shaft produced by vibration thereof and at the same time absorbs and deadens such vibration. The liner 22 is provided with a slot 22a so that it may be compressed and inserted into the housing 21. It is then allowed to expand in the housing 21 and the outer surfaces of the liner 22 snugly engage the inner surfaces of the housing 21. The liner 22 extends over almost the entire length of the housing section 21 between the end coupling members of the housing.

A small space is provided between the liner 22 and the shaft 20 to allow freedom of rotation of the shaft in the liner. The liner, on the other hand, dampens vibration of the shaft 20 and prevents whipping contact of the shaft with the inside of the housing 21. For this purpose any durable plastic material such as vinyl, polyurethane, or thelike is provided. If convenient, the plastic liner 22 may be applied to the shaft directly, leaving a space between between the liner and the tubular housing 21.

FIG. 3 shows a modified form of this invention in which the upepr tubular housing section 2112 is provided with an enlarged coupling housing section 25 welded to the bottom part thereof. The bottom of the enlarged housing section 25 is threaded so that it may be attached to the threaded coupling 26 which is welded to the upper part of housing section 210. Each of the housing sections 21b and 21c may be ten to twenty feet long.

The enlarged coupling housing section 25 is of suflicient diameter to accommodate the coupling 24 of the shafts 20b and 200, each of which may also be about ten to twenty feet long. Thus, one of the assemblies including the shaft 200, housing 21c, and liner 22b may be lowered into the well with the upper part of the shaft and coupling 24 projecting out of the top of the housing 210 a short distance. The lower end of shaft 20b is then attached to the upper end of shaft 200. Also, the lower threaded part of enlarged section 25 is attached to the coupling 26 which is welded to the upper end of housing 21c. The

shaft 20b and housing 21b which are assembled with the lower shaft 200 and lower housing 210 are then lowered into the well and, if the well is deep enough, the upper part of the shaft will extend out of the upper housing 21b for receiving the next sections. Housing sections 21b and 210 are provided with plastic liners 22a and 22b as previously described, and each of these liners is slotted as shown at 2212 so that the liners may be compressed before being inserted into the housing 21b and 21, respectively. The liners then are allowed to expand against the inside walls of the housings and are supported therein by friction.

While I have shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that the invention is capable of variation and modification from the form shown so that the scope thereof should be limited only by the proper scope of the claims appended hereto.

What I claim is;

1. In a deep well pump, the combination comprising a relatively long line shaft having at least two sections joined by a threaded coupling, a tubular housing also in two sections, each having a length approximating the length of each of said shaft sections, said shaft being rotatably positioned in said housing, said shaft and said housing a pump attached to the bottom part thereof, means attached to the top part of said shaft for rotating said shaft and driving said pump, a plastic member of relatively thin wear resistant material positioned in at least 4 one of said housing sections around substantially the entire length of the shaft therein, said plastic member having a continuous length susbtantially equal to the length of the shaft section positioned therein, said plastic member permitting free rotation of said shaft and substantially reducing the vibration thereof.

2. In a deep well pump, the combination as set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that said plastic member comprises a slotted sleeve that is compressed and-inserted into said tubular housing, said sleeve expanding in said tubular housing against theinside surface thereof.

3. In a deep well pump, the combination as set forth in claim 2 further characterized in that said plastic membet is of a thickness and composition so as to be semirigid.

4. In a deep well pump, the combination as set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that said tubular housing is provided with an enlarged section enclosing said threaded coupling, said plastic member being spaced from said shaft a sufiicient distance so as not to prevent rotation of long sections thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,036,095 8/1912 Getty 103-402 2,280,626 4/1942 Carpenter l03--l02 3,098,450 7/1963 Bower 103102 HENRY F. RADUAZO, Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,369,493 February 20, 1968 Eugene F. Sullivan It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 3, line 25, after "housing" insert having Signed and sealed this 22nd day of April 1969.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents Edward M. Fletcher, Jr. Attesting Officer 

